Conventional shower rod assemblies for supporting a shower curtain are mounted to a pair of support surfaces with fasteners. Mechanical fasteners damage the support surfaces during installation. Further damage may be caused during removal, particularly if an excessive load is inadvertently applied to the shower rod assembly. The mechanical fasteners provide limited flexibility. If inadvertently installed incorrectly, movement of the shower rod assembly to another location results in exposed holes formed in the support surface, which may include tiles that are difficult and costly to repair.
Adhesive mount shower rod assemblies use traditional pressure sensitive adhesives which typically contain both a foam layer and an adhesive layer in order to conform to the surface of interest. These assemblies use substantially rigid flanges or mounting plates such as zinc die-cast, stamped steel or injection molded plastic. Once installed these systems are difficult to remove. Additionally, the adhesive leaves behind a significant amount of adhesive residue and foam, requiring harsh chemicals to clean the surface.
Length adjustable or telescopic shower rods are known in the industry. Some are mounted into mounting assemblies with fasteners described above. Some are provided with elastomeric fittings at each end for contacting the support surfaces. The adjustable shower rods are expanded to engage the support surfaces such that the shower rod is in compression to employ friction for maintaining the installation of the shower rod. The compression of the shower rod may be provided by a threaded engagement between concentric rods, a spring or the like. Such adjustable shower rods, may become inadvertently uninstalled due to exposure to steam that may reduce friction at the mounting surface, or fatigue of the spring over time.